Ex-postmaster hits out over scandal

A former postmaster from who claims he lost about £100,000 in the Post Office Horizon debacle has spoken out for the first time as he calls for a judicial enquiry.

Christopher Head was one of the youngest postmasters in the country when he took over the West Boldon Post Office in 2006, aged 18.

In December 2019, he was among hundreds of sub-postmasters who finally won their case against the Post Office in a £58million settlement over the faulty Horizon IT system.

Over the last two decades many like him had been accused of fraud and theft, some losing their homes, going to prison and even taking their own life.

Christopher, of Avondale Gardens, West Boldon, says he had reported problems with the till system numerous times, but was repeatedly told nothing was wrong.

Despite only experiencing minor losses for the first seven years, in September 2014 the till was around £40,000 down. By November the shortfall had reached £88,098. From February 2015 Christopher was questioned three times by the Post Office and his home was searched.

After five months the case was dropped, but bosses insisted he pay the outstanding £88,098.

Soon after he joined hundreds of others wrongly accused in the campaign group Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance.

Christopher refused to pay back what he didn’t owe, but estimates losing £100,000 in shortfalls the business was making, lack of earnings, and eventually selling-up at a loss.